Tinotenda Hove-Opposition leader and former legislator Job Sikhala has accused Zimbabwe’s ruling elite of enriching themselves at the expense of the suffering majority, saying the country is now controlled by a tiny, “heartless” minority that uses violence and intimidation to maintain power.

Writing on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, Sikhala said Zimbabwe was “sharply divided between two groups,” claiming that just 0.20% of the population “has everything and is dictating and forcing everyone to bow before them.”

He added, “This group dishes out gifts and freebies to a portion of the 99.80% of the national population,” using bribery and state power to subdue dissent. “The 0.20% group uses force, bribery, and state-sanctioned authority to subdue everyone. Anyone opposed to them is exposed to extreme brutality, sponsored violence, torture, and extra-judicial means to tame such characters.”

Sikhala condemned reports that opposition activist Madzibaba Veshanduko was brutally tortured before being handed over to police, allegedly for distributing flyers. “I hear out that Madzibaba Veshanduko was extremely tortured before he was handed over to the police last night. His crime is alleged to have been distributing fliers last week,” he wrote.

He questioned the morality of such acts, asking, “Should a Zimbabwean be tortured for allegedly distributing fliers? Madzibaba Veshanduko’s buttocks are said to have been thoroughly tortured to the level we saw of what was done to Robson Chere in July 2024. This is an act inspired by the 0.20% group. They use their stolen money to make sure that no one enjoys peace.”

Describing the lives of ordinary citizens, Sikhala said the majority of Zimbabweans—“the 99.80%”—live in “inadequacy, poverty, and deprivation.” He wrote, “They are powerless, scared, and subdued. They grumble in their homes, and some have gone mental because of the challenges in life. They have all forms of self-confidence and dignity destroyed. They no longer see the purpose of living. They now see life as useless and of no purpose.”

Sikhala warned that the suffering endured by millions is “unsustainable” and could lead to revolt. “The 0.20% like it that way as long as they continue accumulating and plundering our national resources and eating on behalf of all of us,” he said. “This situation is unsustainable. The downtrodden is not happy, and it will not surprise me if they conspire against those who are eating on their behalf.”

Concluding his statement, Sikhala accused the ruling elite of plotting to prolong national suffering beyond 2030. “Life has become a pain to millions of citizens,” he said. “The 0.20% are conspiring to extend this pain and suffering to 2030. They are heartless, these people!”